MAPLETON, Utah — A bear cub was euthanized late Thursday after it made repeated appearances in a Mapleton neighborhood.
The cub was first spotted in the Harmony Ridge community at approximately 6:30 p.m., and officers with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources arrived within 30 minutes. After a search of the neighborhood, DWR and Mapleton police officers were unable to locate the bear.
Hours later, just before 10 p.m., the bear returned to the same community, and following another search, the cub was eventually detained by Mapleton officers.
DWR biologists were able to load the bear into a live trap and remove it from the neighborhood. However, the decision was made to euthanize the cub as its chances of survival without its mother were extremely low, according to DWR.
The agency added that Utah does not have certified wildlife rehabilitators to care for bears or other large predators.
DWR said the decision to euthanize the bear was a difficult and emotional one.
"Our staff got into the wildlife profession because we love wildlife," the agency said in a statement. "We enjoy managing and protecting animals so Utahns can get outdoors and enjoy them. Having to euthanize an animal is really hard and is not a decision we make lightly."
Because of the ongoing drought affecting the plants and vegetation that make up a bear's diet, DWR shared how it has dealt with more bear-related issues than last year.
"The lower food supply could lead to more bear conflicts this summer as bears look more broadly for food, particularly an increase in incidents of bears getting into people's garbage and scavenging for food in campgrounds," the agency said.
